Overview of the Programme
The "EC/FAO Programme on Linking Information and Decision Making to Improve Food Security”, is based at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and funded by the European Union’s “Food Security Thematic Programme (FSTP)”. Its overall aim is to:
- improve the quantity and quality of food security information and analysis; and
- promote its use in decision making processes.
Areas of Work
Programme activities fall under the following broad themes of work:
- Resilience and vulnerability to food insecurity
- Nutrition
- Climate change and food security
- Markets, price volatility and food security
- Methodologies for deriving food security information from Household Budget Surveys
- Integrating food security and nutrition indicators into Household Budget Surveys
- Integrating food security parameters and classifications
- Food security analysis and decision-making processes
- Communications and capacity building
Specific activities include:
- harmonizing international standards for collecting and sharing food security information
- developing tools and methodologies for food security analysis
- publishing case studies and lessons learned
- building capacity through the Global Learning Platform and by providing training
- supporting the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)
- disseminating food security information through targeted communications
- providing support to regionally based programmes and organizations
Programme Objectives
1. Global understanding of food insecurity is enhanced through improved and harmonized analysis and monitoring, and tailored support to regional partners.
2. Effective mechanisms that enhance the use of food security analysis to better inform decision-making are strengthened and developed.
3. Communication and knowledge sharing mechanisms are strengthened, particularly with respect to the development and implementation of demand-driven strategies to address food security.
Coordination and Implementation
The Global Programme is based at FAO headquarters and is implemented in close collaboration with the EuropeAid Cooperation Office.
A joint high-level EC/FAO Steering Committee meets at least once a year to review the overall progress of the programme and discuss future activities.
It is coordinated by FAO's Agricultural and Development Economics Division (ESA) and brings together staff from other FAO divisons including:
- Climate, Energy and Tenure Division
- Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division
- Statistics Division
- Trade and Markets Division
- Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension